The Export-Import Bank of China, one of the country's largest policy banks, said the nonperforming loan ratio of its foreign lending is lower than the average thanks to the strict policies.

Xu Jianhua, general manager of the bank's credit legislation department, said on Thursday that the bank will give priority to leading companies with advanced technologies and high sustainability standard.

"As an import and export bank, a considerable part of our business operates overseas," said Xu. "So we apply more strict measurements abroad to control the risk. The risk management policy and clients' entry permit varies country from country."

"As a policy bank, on the one hand we need to help companies go global under the Belt and Road Initiative," said Xie Ping, deputy governor of the bank, "on the other hand we need to enhance the safety of capital flowing overseas."

By the first quarter of 2017, the bank had signed loan agreements with more than 1,200 projects involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, with the total loan amount reaching over 620 billion yuan ($91.2 billion). It has also lent funds to 1,400 projects to support international collaboration on transferring excess capacity, with outstanding related loan totaling more than 700 billion yuan.